Moving walkways are typically constructed in one of two basic styles, either pallet type or moving belt type. A moving belt type moving walkway typically includes a metal mesh or rubber belt disposed over a series of rollers. A pallet type moving walkway typically includes a continuous series of pallets joined together to form a walkway.
Pallet-type moving walkways generally include a truss assembly, which houses a drive mechanism that drives the pallets. Specifically, the pallets are fixed to a drive chain that includes a plurality of interconnected rollers. The drive chain is engaged with a chain track and is operatively connected to the drive mechanism, such as one or more drive sprockets. As the drive mechanism drives the drive chain, the pallets moves along the chain track from a passenger carrying side to a return side, which is typically located below the passenger carrying side. The walkway assembly including the truss assembly, drive mechanism and the return side of the walkway is typically located in a pit constructed for that purpose.
In moving walkways with pit construction, the height difference between the surrounding floor level and the passenger carrying portion of the pallets (i.e. pallet height) may sometimes require relatively steep and/or lengthy ramps at the ends of the moving walkway for passenger comfort and handicapped access. In addition, parallel moving walkways, operating in opposite directions, would require two pits, two drive mechanisms and two pallet bands, thereby further adding expense and space requirements for installation of the moving walkways.
Thus, there is a need for a moving walkway that may not need a pit in the floor and therefore may be mounted either on finished, existing floors or in foreseen openings of the floating screed but doesn't have any impact on the structure of floors (concrete ceilings, beams, etc.). Moreover, there is a need for a pallet return mechanism that accommodates the aforementioned pit-free moving walkway. Finally, there is a need for pit-free moving walkways with pallet return mechanisms that do not adversely affect the functionality, simplicity, and reliability of the moving walkways.